Hart: We need to encourage Barkley
Joe Hart is pleased with the way England are progressing, yet frustration was the overriding emotion after facing Italy. Little over nine months since losing to the Azzurri in their FIFA World Cup opener, the Three Lions came away from Turin with a 1-1 draw.
Andros Townsend's exquisite strike cancelled out a Graziano Pelle header in this glamour friendly at the Juventus Stadium, extending England's unbeaten run to nine matches. Hart was pleased by their response to a poor first-half display, but annoyed that they were unable to rack up what he felt would have been a deserved eighth straight win.
"We are disappointed with the first half because we set ourselves high standards," the Manchester City goalkeeper said after winning his 50th cap. "We have dominated a lot of games and we anticipated doing that tonight and we didn't. We got told that and in the second half we showed what we wanted to show and we got on with it and got stuck in. I think Italy were happy with the 1-1.
"It could and should have (been a win). We had enough chances. (Gianluigi) Buffon is a fantastic goalkeeper and he made some big saves for them. It was promising but we want to win those games. Obviously the 1-1 is nice after being 1-0 down, but we would have like to have won."
"He is a young guy with so much talent and that's something we should really encourage."
Joe Hart, England goalkeeper on Ross Barkley.
England, like Tuesday's opponents, are in a period of transition after a difficult summer in Brazil. Despite that, this was still an intriguing acid test and a performance - in the second half at least - which underlines the strides being made by Roy Hodgson's men.
"We know there's progress," Hart said. "We know that, we know it every day in training. We know with the squad, with the pace, the power and the organisation that we've got. It was nice to react just after, like I said, a very disappointing first half."
A number of bold second-half introductions helped England to kick on and find an equaliser, with Ross Barkley one of the stand-out performers. The Everton playmaker at last appears to be getting somewhere near last season's form after enduring a frustrating campaign.
"Ross looked really dangerous tonight," Hart said. "They looked worried about him when he came on. The platform was created for him by a very strong back-four performance and Michael Carrick shielding us. Ross played with no fear and we need to encourage that in England. We need to back people like Ross Barkley. Obviously he has had difficult times of late, not playing to the standard we necessarily want from him, but he is a young guy - a real young guy - with so much talent and that's something we should really encourage."